The Connecticut caregiver program
Connecticut pays family members to care for a relative at home through Community First Choice and the CT Home Care Program. Here is what it is called, who can be paid, what it pays, and how to get in.
Connecticut at a glance
- Programs
- 4
- Reported pay
- $500/week
- Spouse paid?
- No
- Waitlist
- Varies
can pay a relative
set in the care plan
Who are you caring for in Connecticut?
Who do you care for?
- 50 + DC
- states covered
- 3,144
- counties with local data
- $0
- it is always free to apply
- 2 min
- to see if you qualify
Population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau · Rules from each state's published Medicaid program
Connecticut programs that pay family caregivers
This is Medicaid money — a real, ongoing benefit, not a grant or a one-off stipend. In Connecticut it runs through:
- Adult Family Living (AFL)
- Community First Choice (CFC)
- PCA Waiver
- CT Home Care Program (CHCPE)
How it works: AFL requires a sponsoring/intermediary agency that supports and pays the caregiver; CFC/PCA are self-directed with a fiscal intermediary handling payroll. The programs are administered by CT Dept. of Social Services, Community Options Unit; 1-800-445-5394 (option 4).
Is there CDPAP or IHSS in Connecticut?
Connecticut has no CDPAP by name. Its self-directed options include Community First Choice and the PCA Waiver, and Adult Family Living pays a live-in caregiver.
Whatever the name, the model is the same one people mean by consumer-directed care: the person who needs help chooses their caregiver, and that caregiver can be family. See how CDPAP and IHSS work if a relative in New York or California described theirs to you.
What Connecticut pays family caregivers
$500/week
Your exact pay is set by the program and your care plan. We'll tell you your real number before you enroll.
Source: Connecticut Medicaid program data · Updated September 2026
Who can be paid in Connecticut
- Adult child, grandchild, sibling, friend Yes
- Broadly allowed wherever the program lets the member choose their caregiver.
- Spouse Not right now
- no — spouses excluded under AFL, CFC, and the PCA waiver
- Parent of a minor child Sometimes
- limited — parents of minors/legal guardians excluded from CFC/PCA; since 2023 the three DDS developmental-disability waivers pay parents of school-age children for respite/day/personal supports, capped at 800 awake hrs/yr (guardians of adults: 2,100 hrs/yr)
How much does Connecticut pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay in Connecticut is around $500/week. AFL live-in caregiver stipend up to ~$500/week (~$2,400/month, tax-free), set at 4 assessment levels; CFC/PCA hourly rate. Some of this pay can be tax-free under the IRS difficulty-of-care rule when the caregiver lives with the person receiving care.
Your hours come from your relative's needs assessment, not from how many hours you actually work — which is why preparing for that assessment matters more than anything else. The detail is on the Connecticut caregiver pay page, and the national picture is in family caregiver pay rates by state.
Is there a waitlist in Connecticut?
Depends on the program. CHCPE Medicaid waiver is slot-capped (~22,066/yr) and can waitlist; CFC is an entitlement with no waitlist. Apply early either way — the Medicaid financial review and the care assessment take time even where there is no list.
Why Connecticut pays family instead of an agency
714,200 people in Connecticut — 19% of the state — are 65 or older, across 9 counties. There are not enough agency home care workers for all of them, and care at home costs Medicaid far less than a nursing home. So the state pays the person already doing the work: you. If you would rather hire help, see what in-home care costs and home care agencies that hire family members.
How to become a paid caregiver for a family member in Connecticut
- 2 minutes
Check eligibility
Five questions show which Connecticut program fits your family and what it pays.
- usually weeks
Medicaid + needs assessment
Connecticut confirms Medicaid eligibility and assesses how much help your relative needs. Those hours become your paid hours.
- after approval
Enroll and name you
Your relative enrolls in Community First Choice and the CT Home Care Program and names you as their caregiver. Background check and payroll forms follow.
- every pay period
Get paid
You log the hours you already work and are paid for them, like any job.
Where to apply: Call the DSS Community Options Unit or submit the CHCPE Request for Referral form; a care manager performs an in-home functional assessment.
Find out in 2 minutes
Answer 5 easy questions. See your programs and pay before you share any contact info.
Connecticut caregiver program questions
What is the caregiver program in Connecticut called?
In Connecticut, family caregivers are paid through Adult Family Living (AFL), Community First Choice (CFC), PCA Waiver, CT Home Care Program (CHCPE). Connecticut has no CDPAP by name. Its self-directed options include Community First Choice and the PCA Waiver, and Adult Family Living pays a live-in caregiver.
Does Connecticut have CDPAP or IHSS?
Connecticut has no CDPAP by name. Its self-directed options include Community First Choice and the PCA Waiver, and Adult Family Living pays a live-in caregiver.
How much does Connecticut pay a family caregiver?
Reported pay is around $500/week. AFL live-in caregiver stipend up to ~$500/week (~$2,400/month, tax-free), set at 4 assessment levels; CFC/PCA hourly rate.
Can I get paid to take care of my spouse in Connecticut?
no — spouses excluded under AFL, CFC, and the PCA waiver
Can a parent be paid to care for a disabled child in Connecticut?
limited — parents of minors/legal guardians excluded from CFC/PCA; since 2023 the three DDS developmental-disability waivers pay parents of school-age children for respite/day/personal supports, capped at 800 awake hrs/yr (guardians of adults: 2,100 hrs/yr)
Is there a waitlist for the Connecticut caregiver program?
CHCPE Medicaid waiver is slot-capped (~22,066/yr) and can waitlist; CFC is an entitlement with no waitlist
How do I apply to be a paid caregiver in Connecticut?
Call the DSS Community Options Unit or submit the CHCPE Request for Referral form; a care manager performs an in-home functional assessment.
Who runs the Connecticut Medicaid caregiver program?
CT Dept. of Social Services, Community Options Unit; 1-800-445-5394 (option 4).
Sources: medicaidplanningassistance.org · medicaidplanningassistance.org · payingforseniorcare.com · Updated September 2026. Rules change — always confirm with the program.
Where most Connecticut caregivers are
Counties with the most residents aged 65 and older. The rules are the same everywhere in Connecticut — pick yours for the local picture.
- Capitol186,500 aged 65+
- Western Connecticut116,686 aged 65+
- South Central Connecticut112,624 aged 65+
- Naugatuck Valley92,933 aged 65+
- Southeastern Connecticut58,407 aged 65+
- Greater Bridgeport56,399 aged 65+
- Lower Connecticut River Valley42,038 aged 65+
- Northwest Hills27,902 aged 65+
- Northeastern Connecticut20,714 aged 65+
- All of Connecticut →
Across the line
States that border Connecticut
Each state writes its own rules, and they differ more than people expect — a spouse who can be paid on one side of the line often cannot be on the other.